Police bury files of an unsolved murder for 95 YEARS

SUSPECT: The 'Yorkshire Ripper' Peter Sutcliffe could have been the murderer of Wendy Sewell [ENTERPRISE NEWS]

Stephen Downing was wrongly convicted of the murder of “Bakewell Tart” Wendy Sewell in 1973.

Now the police case files are to be reviewed by an independent barrister from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) following appeals against the ban.

One researcher who asked the CPS if he could see the files was told he would have to wait for 95 years, while Derbyshire police have insisted on a 30- year block.

“This ‘buried’ report came as a complete shock”

Stephen Downing

The internal inquiry follows complaints against the CPS and the Derbyshire force from Mr Downing and former cold case detective Chris Clark, asking why such severe bans have been imposed on an unsolved murder case.

Mr Clark, a retired Norfolk intelligence officer, believes Mrs Sewell, 32, who died following a brutal attack in Bakewell cemetery, may have been the victim of Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe, now 67.

Earlier this year he asked Derbyshire police for a copy of the original pathology report on Mrs Sewell but was turned down.

Instead, he obtained a copy from another source – and claims it shows evidence that could have helped clear Stephen within days of his arrest.

Stephen, who was finally acquitted of the murder in 2002, after spending nearly 28 years in jail, said: “This ‘buried’ report came as a complete shock.

“It throws a whole new light on the murder."

The 40-year-old document unearthed by Chris Clark contradicts the prosecution case. It confirms the victim was kicked and then strangled with a ligature before being hit over the head seven or eight times with a pickaxe handle.

Stephen, 58, said: “After being made to sign a false confession, I was certainly never asked about kicking, strangulation, or the violence of the attack.”

Author Scott Lomax from Chesterfield, Derbyshire, has also been making enquiries about the murder.

He said: “My request to the Director of Public Prosecutions in relation to Stephen Downing has been made exempt for 95 years.

“Why are the police so reluctant to release this information? This murder is still unsolved. “These severe restrictions are most unusual and normally only relate to security issues.”

Derbyshire Police accepted at the appeal court they had breached Judges’ Rules on evidence “substantially”.

They had also claimed all the evidence, including the murder weapon, had been burnt, lost or destroyed. That proved to be false. The CPS confirmed the review.

A spokesman said: “We have assigned an official not involved with the original decision.

“It will be an internal review of the CPS handling of the FOI request on Stephen Downing."